Daily Archive: September 1, 2009

vacation

Our Hero…..

  Kate has been in the Marines for 10 months now. In Okinawa for over a month.  We miss her so much. Communication back and forth is hit and miss. The 16 hour time difference makes it even more difficult. We continue to go by the “no news is good news”  motto.  She is in our thoughts and in our prayers daily.

 Kate gave me a dog tag that I wear proudly. Every Sunday to church and several times during the week.  The “Hero’s Prayer” is etched into the back of the dog tag.

“Lord,  I ask for courage…. To conquer my fears.  I ask for strength….. To protect others. I ask for protection…. Over my family and friends. Through it all be at my side.”

Kate is our hero!

kate~n~kel

Lance Corporal Kate

So Kate’s been in Okinawa for just only a couple of weeks and already got a promotion! Hard to believe that Kate has been a Marine for  nine months now. Needless to say, we are so proud of her. She knew that she had a promotion coming and sent us email saying “I’m getting promoted in a few minutes”.  Then about an hour later we got this picture, of her new rank. So Lcpl Kate gets a few more bucks in her pocket every month, and a little more respect from her peers. I should mention, that during the promotion ceremony, they called her “Flattery”, just like they used to do to me in the Army!

Communication is limited to email and skype, and with the 16 hour time difference, we can only “connect” late night or early morning.  Either way, its amazing to me that we can connect at all.  I love technology!!

Congratulations Kate!

vacation

Diamond Resorts Yes – Timeshare Forum No

So you already read the post about the horrid timeshare sales presentation that we endured while on our vacation week in Tahoe last month.After I wrote the blog entry, I sent it, along with a “cover” email, to a couple of executives at Diamond resorts international. I basically told them that I was disgusted and disappointed in the sales presentation, especially since the played the “cancer card” on us.
Almost  immediately I received an email reply from one of the executives, the Chief Experience Officer,  asking if he could speak to me about the situation. He even went as far as researching and finding my phone number. He left a nice voicemail saying he wanted to talk to me. I gave him a call the next day. He was a very nice man. Apologized on behalf of Diamond Resorts. He told me that that type of sales tactic “was not Diamond Resorts”  He wanted to let me know that this will be an agenda item during the next day’s senior staff meeting. He told me that he would follow up with another phone call. Sure enough, couple of days later I received a call from the sales director at LTVR. He was polite and professional. He too apologized and said that he counseled both sales guys on what is and what is not acceptable sales practice. Today I received a follow up call from DRI as well as a nice comment on the blog. In my opinion these guys went above and beyond in trying to rectify the situation and properly communicate their actions back to me. Everyone I dealt with (after the presentation) has been professional and sincere.. As far as I’m concerned, case closed.
Thanks to the management staff at DRI. My faith in humanity is restored
But wait!!!  Now some jerktoid has hijacked my blog entry!
Soon after posting this story on my blog, I received a comment (since deleted)  from someone I didn’t know. This person must have Googled their way to jimsjoint. Anyway, this person said that I should check out the “timeshare forum” website where other people have similar stories. SPAM!   I clicked  the link that they provided.  I’m scrolling down the main page and ..low and behold…there is my posting on their website. HI-JACKED!!  So, who ever this person was, copy/pasted MY story, and made it sound like it was their own story!  INCREDIBLE!  There were even several comments on my post there.  A mix of “I feel your pain” and even a few who slammed us for going on the timeshare presentation in the first place. The next day I received even more “comments/spam” (since deleted) on jimsjoint telling me that I should use some exchange company for my timeshare!   I’ve asked the hijacker to remove my post but they have not. If only they would step up like DRI did, all would be good.

sports

Coach Kelly

 Oh how the pendulum has swung.  Our girl Kelly, who went from unknown water polo player at American High school to National Champion at Cal State East Bay,  has landed a job coaching  the varsity girls back at American High. Anyone  that knows American High water polo knows that the Varsity girls have yet to win a game. EVER!  So, fortunately for Kelly, there is nowhere to go but up.    The season started yesterday with a loss to the Washington Huskies. Those husky girls are tough.  Kelly has high hopes for the team and will use her smarts, ambition, skill and knowledge (even good looks!)  to get these girls a win. But ultimately  its those varsity girls that will have to win it. In the pool.  Will this be the breakout year?   I sure hope so!   GOOD LUCK COACH KELLY!!

Throwing in the picture of Kelly and Melissa from the American High alumni game a couple of weeks ago.  You go girls!

fuck cancer

Art of Living

Barb and I completed a six day course on the Art of Living.

“A non-denominational, educational and humanitarian non-profit organization, The Art of Living Foundation’s  stated mission is to uplift society by strengthening the individual through programs that create a sense of belonging, restore human values, develop  life to its full potential, and encourage people from all backgrounds, religions, and cultural traditions to come together in celebration and service. According to the Foundation, it has programs in more than 140 countries around the world, and offers several courses to bring individuals knowledge and techniques to unlock their deepest potential and bring fullness to life.”

Barb’s niece Erin and her husband Mark are very involved in this organization. Barb and Erin were talking (or exchanging emails) and Erin suggested this program could help Barb with the issues she is dealing with in regards to her cancer treatment and other things going on in her life.  So we signed up for the 6 day “part 1”  course held at the Crown Plaza in Union City. Tuesday through Friday 7-10pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-2pm. “bring a pillow, blanket and yoga mat”. Pillow and blanket are right up my alley but I wouldn’t know a yoga mat from a welcome mat.  So, ok, the course is a blend of breathing techniques, meditation, light yoga, and philosophy. All with the goal of making me a better person. Happy! I’m all for that!

One of  the main goals of the course is to teach  breathing techniques. The message is that the breath is the connection between the body and the mind. We spend our whole life breathing without giving  it much thought. True.   We would practice the techniques each day until we were able to do it at home without guidance.

Yoga.  Now, I must tell you, the class was about 21 people.  Other than one other lady, we were the oldest in the class.  One thing you don’t want to see is a 50 year old overweight Irishman trying to do yoga! Eighty percent of the yoga was good. Stretching, bending, breathing, relaxing.  When the teacher said to sit cross legged, put your hands behind your back, then touch your forehead to the floor, I laughed!  I looked around and most everyone was able to do it! AMAZING! There were a couple of other things that I struggled to do, but I did try everything. On Saturday and Sunday we had a full hour of Yoga! Imagine that. Jim Flaherty, yoga man!

I really like the discussion part of the program.  We talked about life, happiness, responsibility, service, duty. We also talked about “living in the present”.   Our minds are always working.  Thinking about things in the past or things in the future. More importantly, STRESSING about things in the past or things in the future. If we  can  teach ourselves to spend more time in the present, (live in the moment), then our lives will be better off. This really hit home for me. I am CONSTANTLY worrying about things that have happened, or things the I think will happen.  Its stupid if you think about it. The things in the past cannot be changed, so why bother? Worrying about thing in the future is even more stupid! Because chances are they won’t even happen! That goes back to what they say in church about “protecting us from all anxiety and useless worry”.

The first night we committed to some  “rules’  for the six days.  No caffeine. No Soda. No Meat. No Alcohol.  Cleansing the mind and body now  people!  Other than a slight caffeine headache the first day or so, I was ok. 

I also enjoyed meeting everyone in the class.  18 of the 21 folks there were of Indian persuasion. Over the six days we got to know everyone as a person. And they got to know us. We did group activities and exercises  where we learned about each other.  It was good. All good.

We even got lunch on the weekend. Kick ass vegetarian food. With Kate being a vegetarian most of her life, it wasn’t too difficult for us to move to a vegetarian diet.  I need to find out some of  those recipes because they were mmmmm-mmmmm good! 

Overall it was a good experience for me. Something I would have NEVER done if it weren’t for Barb. Thanks Honey!

vacation

Ahhhhh…. Tahoe

Our week in Tahoe has come and gone!  One of the few years that we weren’t in Tahoe for 4th of July. We were looking for a more serene and quiet week this year.  And we found it.  We invited Sheri Carruthers and family  for a “relaxation vacation.” Checked into a nice two bedroom on the 5th floor with lake view. Spent the week in kick-back mode. After a combined $300 (boy can those Carruthers eat!) grocery shopping trip, we were ready for our vacation!  We met team Downing (who were up there for a quick weekend)  on Sunday for a nice hike out at Rubicon Point. I’ve always wanted to do this hike,  on the west side of the lake between Emerald Bay and Meeks Bay.  The trail skirts the side of the lake and provides stunning views. Its also the part of the lake where its 1000 feet deep right off shore.  Just beautiful.

The rest of our week consisted of grill’n and chill’n. We ate like kings!  We slept in everyday! We did a beach day. We drove around the lake one day. Did the Heavenly Gondola one day. We spent  quality time with Sheri, Becca, Taylor and Matt.  All good people. Matt loved Tahoe so much that he spent the bulk of his time trying to convince Sheri to move there.  We missed them when they left on wednesday. We went on a stupid timeshare presentation on Wednesday afternoon, then spent pretty much all Thursday hanging out in the condo. We packed up and said goodbye to Tahoe on Friday afternoon. The end to another great Tahoe vacation.  Check out the pictures by clicking here!